


Seventeen

by Kaskarden (KaskardenFluvia)



Category: Persona 5
Genre: 2/2, Angst, Canon Compliant, Crying, Emotional Hurt, M/M, No real comfort I'm sorry, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, being forced to make impossible choices as a teenager, this is just me projecting onto akira
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29143485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaskardenFluvia/pseuds/Kaskarden
Summary: Akira cries, because he is seventeen, and the world is unfair.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	Seventeen

**Author's Note:**

> I hope all of you appreciate this, I interrupted my Genshin grind to write this. (Jk, I do hope you enjoy it tho)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h80Sr15n4M

“Your indecisiveness on the matter is essentially a betrayal of my wishes.” Akechi says, voice filled with vitriol. 

“And what about my wishes?” Akira interrupts. 

“What?” The detective asks, raising an eyebrow.

“What about my wishes, Goro?” He repeats, and the other boy flinches at the mention of his name. Akira doesn’t care. “Why can’t I choose to be happy?” 

“Because it’s artificial!” Akechi responds, the frown on his forehead deepening. He sounds angry. “It wouldn’t be real.”

“I also wouldn’t know any better! Is there even a difference between fake and real happiness?” 

Akechi crosses his arms in front of his chest and gives him a disappointed look. 

“You’re being incredibly selfish,  _ Akira _ .” He condescends, spitting out the name like an insult.

“And what about it?” Akira shouts, and Akechi flinches in surprise, taking a step back. “Everyone else always gets to be selfish, why not me?” 

He bangs his fist on the counter and Akechi takes another step back, his eyes wide. 

“Why can’t I get what I want, just this once?” Akira asks. “Just this once, I want something for myself.” 

Akira can feel tears prickling in his eyes. He always starts crying when he’s angry. 

“Akira, you owe it to reality to-” 

“NO!” Akira screams, his own voice ringing in his ears. “I don’t  _ owe _ it to reality. What has reality ever done for  _ me _ ?” 

Akechi opens his mouth to answer, but Akira continues before he can speak. 

“ _ Nothing _ , Goro. It has done nothing for me. It just takes and it takes and it takes and it  _ takes _ and I never get anything in return.” He tries to bite back the tears, but his vision is starting to get hazy anyway. 

“I nearly died for that reality, I killed _a_ _god_ for that reality and what did I get as a reward? _Another fucking god to kill?”_

“You didn’t kill Yaldabaoth for a reward, you did it because you knew it was the right thing to do.” Akechi says, his expression softening. He raises his hands, like someone trying to comfort a trapped animal.

“No, I didn’t.” Akira snaps, voice getting louder again. Akechi’s insistence only makes him more furious. 

“I did it because it was _ expected _ of me. Because everyone decided that I am supposed to be the selfless saviour of humanity, but I’m not! I never asked for that responsibility! I don’t want to be some kind of hero! I’m seventeen, for fuck’s sake! I want to worry about high school, and going to college. I want to go to the movies with my friends! I want to worry about the possibility of the boy I like rejecting me, and not about the possibility of him dying on me _ for the second time.” _

Akira can’t keep the sobs from escaping his chest any longer and he breaks down, his knees giving out under him. He hits the ground but barely registers the pain shooting through his legs. He clasps his hands in front of his face and cries, because that’s all that he has left. He cries, because he is faced with an impossible choice. He cries, because everyone expects him to do the right thing. He cries, because the person he’s in love with will be dead by tomorrow and he will be the one to have let them die. 

He cries, because he is seventeen, and the world is unfair. 

Finally, his sobs die down and he looks up at Akechi, expecting him to look at him in disgust, or maybe even pity. What he doesn’t expect to see is Akechi staring blankly ahead, tears silently running down his cheeks.

“Goro?” He croaks but doesn’t get a response. He’s not sure the other boy even heard him. He gets off of the floor again, steadying himself against the counter, his legs still shaky. He can already feel the bruises blooming on his knees but doesn’t pay much attention to the pain. Akechi is still just looking at nothing, tears slowly seeping into his scarf. 

“Goro?” He repeats and gently tugs at the sleeve of his tan coat. Akechi jerks his hand back, turning his head towards him sharply.

“You’re such an idiot, Akira.” He mutters, angrily wiping at his tears. “Why didn’t you say anything back in November?”

Akira looks down at the floor. 

“Because that would have been selfish.” 

A terrible, hollow sound escapes Akechi’s chest, somewhere between a sob and a laugh. 

“That makes sense.” He whispers, and then they fall silent again. Akira fiddles with the hem of his sleeve, picking at a loose thread. 

“Listen, Goro.” He says, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I’m not gonna accept Maruki’s offer. It’s not right. I’m - I’m not supposed to be selfish. But…” 

He carefully grabs Akechi’s gloved hand, lacing their fingers together. He takes a moment to marvel at how well they fit together. 

“Can you do me a favour?” He asks hoarsely, looking back up to find scarlet eyes staring at him. “Can we just be normal teenagers for one night ” 

Akechi nods and takes a step forward. His eyes flutter shut and Akira leans in and pretends he isn’t kissing a ghost.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Do you ever think about the fact that both Akira and Goro are still teenagers and their whole live was derailed because some omnipotent beeing decided they would make good playthings, because I do.
> 
> This is also not the Persona fic I wanted to write! But I realised that it was 2/2 and this idea sprang onto me while I was in the shower and I decided to get it out there. I might have cried a bit writing this. I hope you enjoyed it and if you find any mistakes let me know!


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